Counter for photocopy machine

ABSTRACT

A counter mechanism for a photocopy machine of the type having a reciprocating table or carrier, the mechanism including a dial, which is set to show the desired number of copies, directly coupled to a ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel is indexed by a pawl on the table during each copy-making stroke so that the setting of the dial is successively reduced to a reference setting at which point a switch is operated to terminate further cycling of the table.

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Donald R. Altergott Highland Park, 111.

Jan. 9, 1970 Aug. 17, 197 1 American Photocopy Equipment CompanyEvanston, Ill.

coumen ron rno'rocorY MACHINE 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

1nt. Cl 603g 15/00 Field oISearch... 355/8, 3,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,445,160 5/1969 Hclland355/3 X 3,482,912 12/1969 Zerdahs 355/14 3,503,677 3/1970 Uchiyama355/13 3,520,605 7/1970 Wharson 355/14 X Primary Examiner-Samuel 8.Matthews Assistant ExaminerRichard M. Sheer Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard,Leydig, Voit & Osann ABSTRACT: A counter mechanism for a photocopymachine of the type having a reciprocating table or carrier, themechanism including a dial, which is set to show the desired number ofcopies, directly coupled to a ratchet wheel. The ratchet wheel isindexed by a pawl on the table during each copy-making stroke so thatthe setting of the dial is successively reduced to a reference settingat which point a switch is operated to terminate further cycling of thetable.

COUNTER FOR PHOTOCOPY MACHINE It is an object of the present inventionto provide a counter mechanism which is easily set to produce a desirednumber of copies, which provides a constant tally of the copies yet tobe made, and which produces automatic shutoff when the set number ofcopies has been produced. It is a'related object to provide a counterassembly which is extremely simple and which, in the preferredenvironment, requires only a single moving part, other than theactuating pawl on the table and the responsive switch. It is yet anotherobject to provide a counter which is inherently reliable, which can bereset to a smaller or larger number of copies, if desired, while thecopies are still being turned out, and which is universally useable inmachines of the reciprocated table type, of both new and existingdesign, at minimum expense.

' Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentupon reading the attached detailed description and upon reference to thedrawings in which:

' FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of a photocopy machine of.the reciprocating table type incorporating the present invention.

- FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along the line 2-2 inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the ratchet wheel and pawl, inelevation, looking along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse fragmentary section looking along the line 4-4 inFIG. 3..

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 4., showing theopposite faceof the ratchet wheel. 1

FIG. 6 is a simplified circuit diagram showing means for producingcontinued reciprocation of the moving table under the control of thecounter mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing application of the counter mechanism to apatented design of photocopy machine.

While the invention has been described in connection with a preferredembodiment, it will be understood that I do not intendto be limited tothe particular embodiment shown but intend, on the contrary, to coverthe various alternative and equivalent forms, of the invention includedwithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Turning now toFIGS. l and 2, there is shown aphotocopy machinelO havinga rectangular housing including a near side 1 l, a far side 12, and adischarge, or left-hand side 13 which includesa collecting tray 14 forthe finished copies. The top of the machine 15 has an apron or surface16which serves as a control panel.

Reciprocatingly mounted within the top surface 15 of the housing is atable 20. mounted on longitudinal ways 21, 22. The table includes aglass plate, or platen, 23 upon which the original sheet is. mounted,face. down, for exposure, held in place by a cover, or-holddown, 24having a longitudinal hinge 25. It will sufiice to say that. the.original to be copied is placed against, the platen of the reciprocatingtable and that the table undergoes a complete cycle of reciprocation foreach copy to be produced. The drive for the table does notper se form avpart of the, present invention, As diagrammatically shown in FIG. 6, amotor Mis provided-having alternativeforward and reverse clutches F andR respectively coupled to the table by suitable pinion and, rackconnections (not shown). For the details of a typical reciprocatingdrive under the. control of forward and reverse clutches, reference ismade to prior Sacre U.S. Pat. No. 3,424,526 whichissued .Ian. 28, 1969.

During the copyingprocess the original isprogressively exposedatanilluminating station which isat the discharge end of themachinehavingasuitable. lamp assembly 30. The moving image of theilluminated portion of the original is projected downwardly alongpath 31onto a, mirror.3 2-from which it is projected horizontally along. path33 through a lens 34. which focuses the image upon a moving sheet ofpreconditioned photocopy, paper transported in synchronism with theadvancement-ofv the table. The paper may, for example, be of thezinc-oxide-coated type conditioned by. application of an overallelectrostatic charge. The latter is selectively discharged by light fromthe original to produce a latent image of the original which issubsequently developed by application of colloidal particles of tonerdeposited and fixed upon the charge pattern. The copy sheet with itsdeveloped image is subsequently deposited in the collecting tray 14. Fora complete discussion of a photocopy machine of the present type,reference is made to the above-mentioned Sacre patent.

In accordance with the present invention a counter assembly is providedincluding a control switch coupled to a settable ratchet wheel. Theratchet wheel is cyclically engaged by a pawl on the reciprocating tableso that the table continues to reciprocate until a set number of copieshave been produced, the pawl finally restoring the ratchet wheel to areference position thereby to turn off the switch for automaticallystopping the motion of the table and the cycling of the associatedcopying mechanism within the machine. Thus referring to FIGS. 1-5, acounter mechanism, or assembly, is provided having a ratchet wheel 41mounted upon a shaft 42 which is journaled in a subframe 43. The ratchetwheel has a plurality of teeth 45 which are dimensioned to projectslightly above a horizontal guide surface 46 which forms the upper edgeof the subframe 43. I

For the purpose of engaging the ratchet teeth a pawl 50 is mounted atthe edge of the reciprocating table 20, for example, on a horizontal pin51, the pawl being biased downwardly by a spring 52 so that it ridesalong the guide surface 46 as the table cyclically reciprocates,clicking idly over the backside of a tooth. For insuring againstretrograde movement, a detent mechanism is provided including a ball 55which engages a succession of dimples 56 molded or otherwise formed inthe sidewall of the ratchet wheel. The ball 55 is received in a suitableclearance opening in the subframe and is pressed in the direction of thedimples 56 by means of a leaf spring 57.

For making an electrical circuit when the ratchet wheel is in any one ofits set positions and for breaking the circuit when the ratchet wheel isin its home or reference position, a switch 60 is provided havingcontacts 61 (see FIG. 6) and having an operator in the form of a camfollower 62 which registers with a recess 63 in the sidewall of theratchet wheel when the latter is in reference position. Where theratchet wheel is of molded construction, it is desirable to provide anembossment 64 on the opposite wall for the purpose of accommodating therecess 63 and maintaining an adequatewall thickness.

Mounted at the end of the shaft 42 of the assembly 40 is a setting knobwhich is preferably in the form of a drum or finger wheel which projectsconveniently through the control. panel l6and which has indicia 71 forsetting the desired number of copies.

In operation, the finger wheel 70 is rotated to a position indicatingthe desired number of copies to be made. The accompanying rotation ofthe ratchet wheel causes the cam follower 62 of the switchto becammed-out of the recess, closing the switch contacts 61'. With themovement of the table initiated by any desired control means, theengagement between the pawl 50 and the successive ratchet teeth,projecting above the guidesurface 46, causes the ratchet wheel and knobto be restored, step by step, in successive copy-making cycles, to thefinal reference position where the switch 60 is turned off forautomatically stopping further reciprocation of the table. This meansfor successively restoring a settable knob and its control elements to areference or home position utilizes a direct mechanical engagementbetween a pawl and ratchet wheel resulting in a simple, effective andlong-wearing construction which is more economical than alternativearrangements employing solenoid stepping dev"ces to accomplish a similarfunction.

It is one of the features of the present counting arrangement that itmay be utilized with any photocopy machine of the type having areciprocating table, regardless of the specific construction of thetable drive or the specific control circuitry which might be employed.In one possible control arrangement, shown in greatly simplified form inFIG. 6, limit switches, actuated when the table reaches or nears itslimit positions are used for causing the table to reciprocate forproduction of successive copies as long as the control switch 60 isturned on. As there shown, the control circuit. 80 includes forward andreverse limit switches 81, 82 under the control of a slide 83 which ispositioned in the path of movement of forward and reverse stop lugs 84,85 mounted on the table. The forward limit switch 81 is connected inseries with the winding 91 of the reverse clutch R while the reverselimit switch 82 is effectively connected in series with the winding 92of the forward clutch F. Thecontacts 61 'of the copy control switch 60are connected in series with the winding of a copy relay 95 having apair of control contacts 96 and a pair of sealing-in contacts 97. i

In operation, then, rotation of the setting knob, producing rotation ofthe ratchet wheel 41, causes the switch cam follower 62 to be moved outof its recess, closing contacts 61 to energize the relay 95. Assumingthetable 20 starts from its retracted or home" position, contacts 82 areclosed. Thus closure of contacts 96 on the relay completes a circuit tothe winding 92 of the forward clutch causing the table to be drivenforwardly by the motor M. The slide 83 has sufficient friction, or maybe detented if desired, so that contacts 82 remain closed until thetable 20 approaches the limit of forward movement. Thereupon the limitstop lug 84 on the table engages the slide 83 to open the contacts 82and to close the contacts 81. This deenergizes the clutch winding 92 andenergizes the reverse clutch winding 91 so that the table is driven inthe opposite or retracting direction toward its home position. Uponapproaching the end of the return stroke two things happen. The pawl 50on the table, striking the presented tooth of the ratchet wheel 41,causes the ratchet wheel to undergo a step of movement toward'itsreference position. At the same time the slide 83 is struck by the lug85 on the table to open the contacts 81, thereby deenergizing the clutchwinding 91, and to close contacts 82 to reenergize the winding 92 of theforward clutch, causing the table to begin another stroke of forwardmovement. It will be understood that transport means are provided withinthe photocopy machine for advancing copy sheets successively,synchronized with the cycling of the table 20, thereby producing onephotocopy for each table cycle. The table continues to cycle until theratchet wheel 41 is restored to its home position accompanied by thedropping of the cam follower 62 on the control switch into its recess,opening contacts 61 for automatic deenergization of the relay 95 toterminate any further movement of a table.

To facilitate the making of single copies, a pushbutton PB may beprovided in parallel with the contacts 61, with the sealing-in contacts97 serving to maintain the relay energized until the table 20 reachesthe end of its forward movement. At such time, opening of contacts 82deenergizesthe winding 92 of the forward clutch, as well as deenergizingthe relay 95, and the making of contacts 81 energizes the winding 91 ofthe reverse clutch for the return stroke. At the end of the returnstroke, as the table 20 assumes its home position, opening of thecontacts 81 deenergizes the winding of the reverse clutch; however,closure of contacts 82 is ineffective to reenergize the forward clutchsince the relay 95 is, by' that time, in its droppedout condition.

It will be understood that the diagram of FIG. 6 is for the purpose ofillustrating the automatic operation of the counter and that a much moreelaborate control circuit would be employed in a practical, commercialphotocopy machine. For example, in a commercial machine such asdisclosed in the above mentioned Sacre US. Pat. No. 3,424,526, thecontrol switch associated with the ratchet wheel may be utilized tocontrol a dispensing motor for dispensing individual copy sheets to atransport mechanism for transport to the exposing station where detectorswitches serve to initiate the cycling movement of the table whichtransports the original copy sheet.

Thus referring to FIG. 7 of the drawings, which may be understood inconjunction with FIG. 10 of the above-mentioned Sacre patent, thecontacts 279a associated with the cam follower, and which correspond tothe contacts 61 in FIG. 6, lead to the dispensing motor control circuit,with the contacts being effectively connected in series with thedispensing motor. Thus such motor is abled for operation as long as theratchet wheel, indicated at 296a, and which is set by the dial 47a, isaway from its reference position. When the ratchet wheel is finallyrestored to its reference position the dispensing motor is opencircuited so that no more copy sheets may be fed. The failure of a copysheet to arrive at the exposing station then serves, in turn, to preventany further cycling of the table which carries the original document:

It will be understood that the particular shape and number of teeth onthe ratchet wheel is a matter of design and that certain of the teethmay be omitted withoufde'parting from the invention. Thus in theembodiment of FIG.'"7 teeth may be omitted corresponding to the C" orcontinuous" position of the dial 470 as well as in the O positioni' Or atooth may be omitted in the single copy position so that the productionof single copies may be achieved by a simple touching'of the pushbuttonPB (FIG. 6) without necessity'for rotating a selector knob. 3

The present construction is in any event distinguished by extremesimplicity, having only a single rotating part,namely the shaft 42 andthe ratchet wheel andknob which are connected to it. Thus the countermay be used universally with either new machines or machines of existingdesign with minimum modification. No electrical wiring other than'forthe switch 60, is required and, because of the economy-which the structure provides, it may be employed in machines at the low-cost highlycompetitive end of the line.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the knob may, ifdesired, be arranged at right angles to the ratchet wheel simply byinterposing a pair of bevel gears midway of the shaft 42.

It is one of the features of the construction that the setting may bechanged, either upwardly or downwardly, to change the number of copies,even as the copies are being produced. The terms off and on" as appliedto the switch 60 are relative terms, and the switch may be of thenormally closed type, or normally open type, with a compensatory changein the oilcuit, without departing from the invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a photocopy machine the combination of a frame, means including areciprocating table for mounting the original, driving means forcyclically moving the table, said driving means having associatedtransport means for exposing successive preconditioned photocopy sheetsto the image of the original synchronized with the motion of the tableto form a latent image with subsequent development of the image anddischarge of the sheets, control means for said driving means includinga switch for producing continued reciprocation of the table, a ratchetmember coupled to the switch and having a reference position in whichthe switch is turned off and a series of set positions in which theswitch is on, a pawl coupled to the table for engaging the ratchetmember su cessively in successive cycles of the table and steppinglyrestoring the ratchet member from its set position to its referenceposition for automatically turning off the driving means when the setnumber of copies have been produced.

.2. In a photocopy machine the combination of a frame, means including areciprocating table for mounting the original, driving means forcyclically'moving the table, said driving means having associatedtransport means for exposing successive preconditioned photocopy sheetsto the image of the original synchronized with the movement of the tableto form a latent image with subsequent development of the image anddischarge of the sheets, control means for said driving means includinga switch for producing continued reciprocation of the table as long asthe switch is on, a ratchet wheel mounted on the frame adjacent thetable and directly coupled to the switch, means for defining a pluralityof set ratchet wheel positions in which the switch is on and a referenceposition in which the switch is turned off, a pawl mounted along theedge of the table for engaging the ratchet wheel successively insuccessive cycles of the table and steppingly restoring the ratchetwheel from its set position to its reference position for automaticallyturning off the driving means when the set number of copies have beenproduced.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which the ratchet member isin the form of a wheel having a shaft, a setting knob on the end of theshaft calibrated in terms of the number of copies, and detent means fordefining a plurality of set positions of the knob and ratchet wheel.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which a horizontal guidesurface is provided adjacent the ratchet wheel and in which the pawl isbiased downwardly against the horizontal guide surface, the ratchetwheel being so positioned with respect to the guide surface that theteeth of the ratchet wheel extend upwardly beyond the guide surface andinto the path of horizontal movement of the pawl.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which the ratchet wheelpresents a smooth surface in lieu of a tooth so that no tooth projectsinto the path of movement of the pawl when the ratchet wheel is inreference position.

Dedication 3,6U0,085.-l)0nald 11?. Altergott, Highland Park, Ill.COUNTER F TOCOPY MACHINE. P

OR PHO- atent dated Aug. 17, 1971. Dedication filed July 27, 1973, bythe assignee, American Photocopy Equipment Oompany.

Hereby dedicates to the Public the entir- [Oficz'al Gazette 0 e term ofsaid patent. ctober 30, 1973.]

1. In a photocopy machine the combination of a frame, means including areciprocating table for mounting the original, driving means forcyclically moving the table, said driving means having associatedtransport means for exposing successive preconditioned photocopy sheetsto the image of the original synchronized with the motion of the tableto form a latent image with subsequent development of the image anddischarge of the sheets, control means for said driving means includinga switch for producing continued reciprocation of the table, a ratchetmember coupled to the switch and having a reference position in whichthe switch is turned off and a series of set positions in which theswitch is on, a pawl coupled to the table for engaging the ratchetmember successively in successive cycles of the table and steppinglyrestoring the ratchet member from its set position to its referenceposition for automatically turning off the driving means when the setnumber of copies have been produced.
 2. In a photocopy machine thecombination of a frame, means including a reciprocating table formounting the original, driving means for cyclically moving the table,said driving means having associated transport means for exposingsuccessive preconditioned photocopy sheets to the image of the originalsynchronized with the movement of the table to form a latent image withsubsequent development of the image and discharge of the sheets, controlmeans for said driving means including a switch for producing continuedreciprocation of the table as long as the switch is on, a ratchet wheelmounted on the frame adjacent the table and directly coupled to theswitch, means for defining a plurality of set ratchet wheel positions inwhich the switch is on and a reference position in which the switch isturned off, a pawl mounted along the edge of the table for engaging theratchet wheel successively in successive cycles of the table andsteppingly restoring the ratchet wheel from its set position to itsreference position for automatically turning off the driving means whenthe set number of copies have been produced.
 3. The combination asclaimed in claim 2 in which the ratchet member is in the form of a wheelhaving a shaft, a setting knob on the end of the shaft calibrated interms of the number of copies, and detent means for defining a pluralityof set positions of the knob and ratchet wheel.
 4. The combination asclaimed in claim 2 in which a horizontal guide surface is providedadjacent the ratchet wheel and in which the pawl is biased downwardlyagainst the horizontal guide surface, the ratchet wheel being sopositioned with respect to the guide surface that the teeth of theratchet wheel extend upwardly beyond the guide surface and into the pathof horizontal movement of the pawl.
 5. The combination as claimed inclaim 2 in which the ratchet wheel presents a smooth surface in lieu ofa tooth so that no tooth projects into the path of movement of the pawlwhen the ratchet wheel is in reference position.